These days, almost everything is DIY. Painting, flooring, buildings, even sawmilling isn’t left out. With the increasing cost of materials, one won’t be surprised why many opt for this.
Several bandsaw mills are out there, and in this write-up, we will be analyzing together some bandsaw mill manufacturers that stand out in the market. I will also be giving some tips on the cost of building a portable sawmill. Read on.
A Brief Write-up On Bandsaw Mill
A bandsaw mill is a bandsaw with frames and tracks for movement on the worksite. A bandsaw consists of a saw head with flexible steel blades that rotates band wheels. The structure and track move the saw on the worksite to different locations and help operators push log and other materials into the saw head for cutting. There are various models out there with production rates ranging from 1600 to 6000 board feet production capacity. With a sawmill, you can cut large boards because some models come largely; the sawmill also ideal for thick woods, uniform cutting, and the ability to cut irregular shapes.
The tool is very versatile, useful for metal workers, farmers, lumbers.
Learn about how to make manual band saw mill- DIY Homemade Bandsaw Mill Plans
The Bandsaw Mill Brands that Stand Out in the Market
Several portable bandsaw mills are listed in the market. They stand out not just because they are popular brands but also because of their excellent performance and features, ease of purchase, the several model options available, cost, etc. Below are some bandsaw mills manufacturers that stand out in the market:
Hudson
This brand has been in the business of woodwork as far back as 1946. Hudson is known for producing forestry equipment and the portable mill is one of them. All the Hudson equipment is made in America. The sawmill gives users value for money and speaks of quality, but it is also reasonably priced for users under a budget.
A Hudson portable sawmill can be $2499 or even less. They also reduce the assembly fee for users who want to do the job themselves. Hudson provides a more comfortable purchase option, giving buyers who may not have all the cash at once, to pay in installments.
Timber King
Known as one of the US’s most prominent manufacturers. Made in the US, the saw competes strongly with other made in American saws. The Timber king sawmill comes in 3 different models. The 1220 mill is useful for small woodwork projects, hunting, and fishing. The 1600 mill model comes with a hydraulic power feed blade and a log loader. The B-20 is useful for big-time commercial operations. Timber King offers a three years warranty and a 30 days return policy. Meaning users can return the saw after trying it out and are not OK with the purchase.
Norwood
These sawmills are China and Canadian made. Norwood offers other woodwork products aside from sawmills, and their product gives excellent performance and purchase.
Enecraft/Bakers Sawmill
With over 25 years in sawmill manufacture, the company has continually improved its equipment over the years. Enecraft and Bakers sawmills are Canadian made. A popular name to homeowners and business owners. The standing feature in the saw, aside from the performance, is the tough built. It is built to last for years.
Wood Mizer
With manufacturing headquarters in Indiana, the Woodmizer brand has manufactured a selection of sawmills and personal band saws to choose from home users to professional use. The band saw is made in the USA. With 39 years of experience, the sawmill boasts effective performance and output for saw millers worldwide.
ECO Pro
Made by ALM industries in Belgium, the ECO Pro sawmills come in 3 models: the ECO Pro 2, ECO Pro DUO, and the ECO Pro W. All fully tested to suits the tropical areas. The mill is very durable, stable while in operation; an easy start system can handle large capacity.
There is written piece of bandsaw for resawing we wrote. If you be interested to know about that please go to Best Bandsaw for Resawing: Topnotch for Fine Woodworking
Who Makes The Best Bandsaw Mill?
While scouting for the best band sawmill in the market, the Hudson’s, Wood-Mizer’s, Norwood’s, and other popular brands would pop up. Picking the best manufacturer from the list will be tricky.
I would say the answer to the question: who makes the best band sawmill in the market is based on personal evaluation and comparison. However, as always, I give you my recommendation. The best portable sawmill I would recommend is the Hudson brand.
The Hudson brand is the best pick above all others because it is diverse. Their sawmills are not restricted to sawyers alone. Hunters, metal workers find Hudson sawmills useful. Portability is not just an understatement for Hudson. Here is a brand that gives you mills that are not so bulky, though made from rigid materials
The compact and space-saving size should not deceive you. While many would think the most efficient sawmills would be very bulky, that’s not the case with the Hudson sawmills.
The sawmill performs efficiently, is made with a powerful motor, and built to withstand wear and tear every day. And above all, the Hudson sawmills’ advanced features like sharp cutting and firmness, the most enticing feature that makes many users fall in love with Hudson sawmills is that the cost is not compared to many other brands offer in the market.
How Much Does It Cost to Build a Bandsaw Mill?
It would be unwise to keep purchasing lumbers, mostly if you work with woods a lot. The best choice would be to make your sawmill, killing some extra cash cost and getting lumbers to the desired shape and size you want. While a Band sawmill is what is worth building, an idea of the cost of building a Band sawmill will help you put things in place and know when and how to get started.
Of course, the cost of a Band sawmill would depend on the size you are aiming at. A new sawmill will range from less than $4000 to $80000 depending on the quality, function, and production capacity, and if you wish to use hydraulics on the sawmills, there might even be an added $5000.
It would help if you remembered a few stuff to build a manual sawmill like a DIYer; considering the cost of blades, log tools, hand tracking, etc., the price may range from less than $2500 to over $5000, depending on what you are aiming at.
Going for used parts will undoubtedly lower the budget. However, either new or used, both serve well. Some stores sell already organized sawmill plans and kits that aid DIYers in such projects. A Google search on the kind of mill you intend to build will also help.
Also, know that taxes, shipping fees, and other fees in different parts may differ from place to place, and so prices could be higher in some regions and fairer in other areas.
Is Owning a Bandsaw Mill Profitable?
Owning a band sawmill can be a profitable business. But just like many other businesses, you are assured of getting profit if you can play all the cards well.
The first thing I would advise you do if you are really serious about going into sawmilling is learning the ropes ( i.e., if you already are not acquainted with it). The visit would be very enlightening; I bet you. The different saw millers you meet will give you titbits on some things you need to know about running the business. You would be given a general idea of how the business is run, be exposed to costs like taxes, fuel, maintenance, insurance, and other accessories like personal protective gear and other small tools like axes, hammers, wedges, etc.
As I said, it would be really enlightening and give you have a grasp of what to expect.
So, if you love the outdoors, work with long hours, have the guts to take some risks, and are pretty good at business, then, yes, sawmilling can be a profitable business for you.
Conclusion
Brief and interesting. This write up has directly hit on the topic, giving clarity and new knowledge.